Korean Register begins e-certificate implementation

Classification society Korean Register (KR) has confirmed that it has begun rolling out IMO-compliant electronic class and statutory certificates across its classed fleet, replacing their paper counterparts.

{mprestriction ids="1,2"}KR’s e-certificates will be launched globally following a successful pilot project which ran across a number of different geographical regions. Currently, 32 flag state administrations have given KR authorisation to issue e-certificates on their behalf, and the class society says that it expects this number to increase in the near future.

IMO rules allow electronic certificates to be treated as equivalent to paper certificates provided that the certificates and the website used to access them conform to guidelines approved by the IMO, and that specific verification instructions are available on board the ship.

“E-certificates are far more secure than paper certificates and reduce the risk of falsification. Once the electronic signature has been certified by KR and a third party, there can be no further manual changes and any attempt to modify the e-certificate will make it invalid,” said Jong-Eun Choi, executive vice president and head of KR’s survey and statutory division.

KR will now begin issuing class and statutory e-certificates with flag administration acceptance at a vessel’s next annual, intermediate or renewal survey. E-certificates will also be issued for all new vessels delivered, with immediate effect.{/mprestriction}

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